A Slice of Humble Pie
by Inkweaver22
Summary: When Flim and Flam fall on some hard times, will Applejack be able to swallow her pride to extend a hoof of friendship? And once they have healed, will that friendship turn into something more? FlimXJack Rated T for the brother's unhealty condition at the beginning, just in case. Cover art done by kelmar2593 on deviantART.
1. Discovery

**Hello everypony! I welcome you to my first official fanfic ever! I'm sorry if there are any grammar mistakes as I haven't written in a while. Also, I don't know how to write accents, so none for the Apple Family. Anyways, please enjoy the first (and hopefully not last) chapter of A Slice of Humble Pie! Please read and review! :D **

**Chapter 1: Discovery**

The Cutie Mark Crusaders raced down the road towards Sweet Apple Acres in their red wagon.

"Hurry up Scootaloo!" urged Applebloom. "We have to get to the clubhouse so we can get started on our crusadin'!"

The young pegasus immediately increased their speed. However, in her haste, she soon overshot the entrance to the farm.

"Slow down!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as they continued to go faster.

"I can't!" Scootaloo cried out in panic as they careened out of control, heading straight for the Everfree forest.

"Do something Scootaloo!" Applebloom yelled.

"Brace for impact!" Scootaloo shouted as she aimed for a large bush at the edge of the forest. All three screamed as they crashed and were thrown from the wagon and scooter.

"Is everypony alright?" Applebloom groaned as she picked herself up off the ground.

"I'm ok." Scootaloo responded.

"That was scary." Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah," Applebloom agreed while quickly checking her flank. "And we didn't even get our cutie marks out of that."  
There was a collective sigh from the trio.

"Let's just go to the clubhouse." Scootaloo suggested.

"Brother! Get up! Please!"

The three jumped at the shout that was soon followed by sobbing. Overcome with curiosity, the crusaders peeked over a nearby shrub where the noise was coming from. They quickly ducked back down at what they saw.

"What are they doing here?" Scootaloo whispered.

"Did you see the way they looked?" Sweetie Belle asked with wide, frightened eyes.

"What do we do?" The orange pegasus wondered nervously.

"We go get Applejack and Big Mac to help." Applebloom said reluctantly.

"Even after what they did?" The young unicorn asked.

"Did you see them?! They need help and no matter what they did in the past, the Apple Family never turns down a pony in need! Scootaloo! You're the fastest. Go get my brother and sister and tell them to bring a cart."

"On it!" The young filly sped off at near the speed of Pinkie Pie.

The other two crusaders peeked over the bush once more.

"Please Celestia, let help get here soon." Sweetie Belle whispered.

* * *

"I'm sorry Rarity, but I haven't seen them." Applejack told her unicorn friend.

"Well that's strange." The fashion pony said. "They said they were coming straight here after picking up Sweetie Belle."

"I'm sure they're just off doin' some of their crusadin' somewhere. They're probably fine." The apple farmer assured.

"Applejack! Big Mac!"

"Scootaloo!" Rarity exclaimed in surprise as the pegasus rolled up on her scooter. "Where are Sweetie Belle and Applebloom?"

"At the edge of the Everfree forest!"

"WHAT?!" The two older sisters shouted.

"They know they're not allowed near the forest!" Applejack yelled angrily.

"That doesn't matter right now!" Scootaloo shouted back. "We found some ponies there that are hurt! We need you and Big McIntosh to bring a cart back to carry them in!"

The orange earth pony's anger was instantly replaced with a sense of urgency.

"Wait here! I'll go get Big Mac!"

Soon, Scootaloo, Applejack, Big Mac, and Rarity were en-route to where the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders were waiting. When asked why she was tagging along, Rarity explained that she knew some basic first aid that might help.

"I don't think bandages and splints are going to help." Scootaloo said.

"Whatever do you mean dearie?"

"… You'll see."

* * *

"Over here!" Sweetie Belle shouted as the rescue party neared their location.

"Where are they?" Applejack asked when they reached them.

"They're behind that bush." Applebloom said while pointing. "But remember: The Apple family never turns down a pony in need no matter who they are."

Applejack gave her sister a confused look.

"Well then who is it?"

"Just see for yourself."

Not wasting any time, Applejack trotted over and pushed the bush aside. She gasped loudly.

"Flim and Flam?!"

**Dun dun duuuuuun! What's this?! A cliffhanger on  
the first chapter already?! I love being an author. :D**


	2. Unwanted Guests

** Hello everypony! Welcome to chapter 2! I must say, I like this one a lot more than  
the first chapter. It's probably because it's longer than the first. Warning!  
The condition of the brothers is kind of…extreme. Anyways, enjoy, read, and  
review please! **

**Chapter 2: Unwanted Guests**

Applejack was shocked at the sight of the twin unicorns; in more ways than one. Her first  
reaction was anger at the two swindlers for trying to take the farm the last  
time they were in Ponyville. She wanted to turn around and leave them to their  
own devices; no matter how injured they were.

However, Applejack's anger melted away as she examined them. Flam was lying on the  
ground, unconscious and barely breathing. Flim, who had barely acknowledged the  
earth pony's presence, was gently nudging his brother while tears streamed down  
his face. Both were dirty from head to hoof and their manes were completely  
unkempt. What was left of their vests hung loosely from their bodies, while  
their hats were nowhere to be seen. Their cream colored coats were dull and, (worst  
of all,) their ribs were showing through their fur.

"What's wrong Apple-!" Rarity gasped mid-sentence as she beheld the sorry pair. Finally  
noticing them, Flim looked up. It looked as if he hadn't slept in days and his  
eyes were glazed over. If she didn't know any better, the fashion pony would  
say she was looking at two living corpses.

Flim stared at them without expression for a good minute before returning his  
attention to his twin.

"Please. Help him." He whispered in a cracking voice.

This simple plea exposed the state of his shattered soul. Gone was the confident and  
upbeat salespony that he once was. In its place sat a helpless and scared foal,  
frightened out of his mind for his brother.

Applejack shook her head, getting over the initial shock and some of her anger returning.

"Yeah, we'll help you," She said with a bit of spite in her voice. "But not because we  
want to, but because it's the right thing to do."

"Applejack, a word please." Rarity said while pulling the earth pony aside. "What is the  
matter with you?!" She berated in a whisper. "I understand that there is some  
bad blood between them and your family, but look at them! They obviously been  
through more than any pony should ever endure! Can't you at least _pretend_ to be sympathetic?"

"They don't deserve no sympathy!" Applejack argued. "Not after they tried to take the  
farm with that machine of theirs! How do we know this isn't another scam?"

"You can see their _ribs _through their fur!  
I highly doubt they could fake that!"

"They're unicorns! It could be some kind of illusion."

"What about that heart-breaking look in his eyes? Was that an illusion too?"

"We're wasting time!" Applebloom suddenly shouted. "Stop your arguin' so we can help  
them!"

"Fine!" Applejack said in frustration. "Let's get them to the hospital and be done with  
them!"

"Nope." McIntosh spoke up.

"What do you mean 'Nope'?!"

"Think about it AJ. We may be able to look past our grudge to help them, but what  
about the rest of the town? They were possibly even angrier at them than we  
were."

"That's…surprisingly observant of you Big Mac." Rarity said.

"Ok, then what do you suggest we do?"

"We take them back to our place and have Nurse Redheart examine them there."

Applejack was about to protest when a horrible hacking sound filled the air. They turned  
to see Flim holding up his brother's head as he coughed in his sleep. Flecks of  
red liquid were expelled with the final cough, staining the ground.

"Hurry." Flim said with a desperate look in his eyes.

"A-alright." Applejack relented. "We'll let them stay at the house. But only until they're  
well enough to leave." She didn't sound very sure of herself.

Big McIntosh immediately took charge.

"Alrighty then. AJ, you run home and explain the situation to Granny. Scootaloo, go and  
get Nurse Redheart. Applebloom, I really hate to say this, but I need you to go  
into the Everfree Forest and find Zecora. She may be able to help if Nurse  
Redheart can't. Miss Rarity, can you use your magic to help me get them into  
the cart?"

"What can I do?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Go with Applejack and wait for us at the house."

There was a pause for several seconds.

"Well what're ya'll waiting for?" The read stallion asked. "Get goin'!"

* * *

"Where are they?" Nurse Redheart asked as she entered the Apple home with her bag of medical  
supplies.

"Upstairs in the guest room." Applejack said while leading her to the second floor. "Big  
Mac and rarity were able to get them cleaned up for you."

"I appreciate that." The white earth pony said as she was led into the room. "You have no  
idea how- _DEAR CELESTIA_!"

Flam was lying in the spare bed, still unconscious, while Flim sat nearby, anxiously  
watching over him. The filth had been washed away and their coats no longer had  
a dull appearance, but that was the only improvement.

"I'll leave you to your, uh, examination." Applejack said nervously before returning  
down stairs.

"Are they going to be alright?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Now Sweetie," Rarity said. "We just have to wait patiently and see what Nurse Redheart  
says."

So they waited. Applebloom eventually showed up with Zecora who was brought up to  
speed on the situation. After about an hour and a half, Nurse Redheart called  
them up to the room.

Flim was now asleep on some blankets, whimpering every few seconds. The nurse  
appeared to have aged several years since arriving.

"Are they going to be alright?" Sweetie Belle asked once more. Nurse Redheart took a  
deep breath before beginning her explanation.

"I don't know. They both are extremely malnourished. Flim is fine other than that  
and will probably pull through."

"Probably?" Rarity asked in an uncertain tone. Redheart sighed.

"I'm afraid that his brother might not make it. If he doesn't, Flim may go into a  
depression, lowering his own chances of recovery."

There was a stunned silence for several moments.

"W-what's wrong with Flam?" Applebloom sounded almost afraid to hear the answer.

"He has a high fever."

"Well that doesn't sound-"

"_And_ pneumonia."

Flim whimpered a little louder at that point and rolled over in his sleep.

"What do we need to do; to speed up the recovery of these two?" Zecora asked.

"Well, I need go back to the hospital to fill out a prescription for them. I'll also  
need to come up with a diet plan for them to follow…Zecora, I'd hate to bother  
you, but could you come by every day to help the Apple's with this? We would  
normally move him to the hospital, but it would probably make his condition deteriorate  
and I can't spare any extra time off from the hospital at the moment." The  
nurse explained.

"If it at your insistence; I would gladly be of assistance."

"Thank you. If you can come with me I'll show what to give them, unless you have  
something in mind."

"Flam's cough I can subdue; with a special herbal brew." The zebra answered.

"Now wait a sec'." Applejack said before they left. "How much is this goin' to cost?"

"We'll work something out later." Nurse Redheart said. "Although, those two probably  
don't have any money…"

"I'm willing to cover some of the cost." Rarity offered. Big Mac nudged Applejack  
and gave her a glare.

"Ugh. I guess we'll cover the rest of it then. They can pay it off by working on the  
farm if, uh, when they recover."

"We'll work out the details later. Now if you'll excuse us." Nurse Redheart and Zecora  
left for the hospital.

"We really should be leaving as well. Come along Scootaloo. We'll walk you home." Rarity  
said, taking Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with her as she left.

The rest of the Apple family drifted to their different rooms to prepare for the  
night.

Applejack lay in her bed, tossing and turning. Unable to sleep, she decided to make  
herself a glass of warm milk. As she passed the guest room, she heard Flam's  
terrible coughing. Sighing, she decided to check on the brothers. Opening the  
door just a bit, she was surprised by what she saw.

Flam was coughing uncontrollably while Flim held him close, stroking his mane  
soothingly.

"Shhh. It's alright. It's ok." Flim whispered to his distressed brother. Then, to  
Applejack's further astonishment, he began to sing. Despite the terrible  
condition he was in, Flim's voice was just as strong and melodious as that first  
day of cider season all those months ago.

_Hush now, quiet now _

_It's time to lay your sleepy head _

_Hush now, quiet now _

_It's time to go to bed_

_Driftin' off to sleep_

_ The exciting day behind you_

_ Driftin' off to sleep_

_ Let the joy of dream land find you_

_Hush now, quiet now_

_ It's time to lay your sleepy head _

_Hush now, quiet now _

_It's time to go to bed_

As he sang, Flam's coughing subsided and he drifted back to a fitful sleep. Flim  
gently laid him back down and kissed his forehead before returning to his pile  
of blankets.

Applejack softly closed the door and returned to her bed. She didn't any trouble falling  
asleep as Flim's lullaby was still fresh in her mind. She did, however, have to  
wipe away a few tears first before she did so.

**So there you have it. Flim and Phlegm, er, FLAM, are pretty much starving to death. And to top it off, Flam has a fever AND pneumonia. Aren't I a terrible person? But how did they get this way? You'll just have to wait and see~ p**


	3. The First Day

**Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmy goshohmygoshOHMYGOSH!**

**People actually like it so far! *happy-sobs forever* Thank you SO much! Especially for those reviews! Even though they weren't that long, it means a lot! **

**Anyways, here's chapter 3!**

**I unfortunately do not own MLP: FIM. Hasbro does.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: The First Day**

Flim awoke to the sound of soft knocking. The unicorn groggily opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings. With a jolt of panic, he realized that he had no idea of where he was. The knock came again.

"Flim? Flam? Are ya'll awake?"

_Wait, I know that voice._ Flim thought. The events of the previous day suddenly came rushing back to him in a torrent of blurred memories. He looked around franticly before spotting his brother who was still in an uncomfortable sleep. He sighed in relief_. So it wasn't just a dream…_

"Flim? Flam?" Applejack called once more, impatience creeping into her voice.

"C-come in." Flim responded hoarsely. The orange mare walked into the room while carrying a tray on her back. The sweet smell of apples and cinnamon wafted through the air, causing Flim's stomach to growl ravenously. The stallion paled and leaned over, clutching his skinny abdomen with a grimace of pain. Applejack watched him with a vacant expression as he groaned in discomfort.

"Here's your breakfast." She said curtly while placing the tray on the nightstand next to the bed. "Doc' said you gotta eat it slowly so don't go and wolf it down." Flim nodded and shakily moved over to the tray. On it were two small bowls of steaming applesauce and two glasses of water. The unicorn's ears lowered in disappointment.

"I-it's not much…" He noted. "B-but it'll do." He quickly added when the earth pony scowled.

"It's not much _because_ you could go into shock if you eat more than your body is currently used too." Applejack explained crossly.

"Oh…" Flim mumbled. The mare just rolled her eyes. Using his magic, the cream colored stallion levitated a bowl and glass over to where Flam slept. He nuzzled his twin's head gently. "Wake up Flam." He called softly. "It's time for breakfast."

"Ugh…" Flam's eyes opened slowly. He looked around without really taking in any details. "F-flim? Where are we?"

"We're…" Flim hesitated. "We're somewhere safe." His brother seemed satisfied with that answer.

"Did you mention breakfast?"

"Yeah." Flim confirmed with a chuckle. "Open wide." Flim patiently spooned the applesauce into his brother's mouth at a steady pace, giving him a sip of water between each mouthful. Once he was finished, Flam almost immediately fell back asleep. His twin watched him for a few moments before turning to his own food. "What are his chances?" He asked Applejack as he ate slowly. She shifted uneasily.

"'Bout half." She answered honestly. Even though she didn't like stallion, she didn't enjoy being the one who broke the bad news to him. Flim gave a sad sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"He has pneumonia and a high fever."

Flim flinched as the suspicions he had for the past week were confirmed. He gazed at his sleeping brother with a deep sadness. An uncomfortable silence settled over the room that was only interrupted by Flam's ragged breathing.

Knowing that she couldn't offer any comfort to the stallion (not that she wanted to), Applejack silently left the two alone. She paused at the top of the stairs as she heard Flim's heart-wrenching sobs. The farm pony sighed heavily and shook her head to disperse the oncoming sadness. She had a lot of work to do today and didn't want any needless distractions.

* * *

Flim stared out at the vast apple orchard, his thoughts writhing like a stormy ocean. He tried to disperse the gloomy notions that plagued him by clinging desperately to the only island of hope he could find. While Flam had a fifty percent chance of dying, he also had the same chance of pulling through. The stallion grasped that single glimmer of sunshine with all his might, gradually pulling himself out of the storm of depression. However, before he could fully pull himself onto the shore of positive thoughts, he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in." The unicorn called without turning. He assumed that it was Applejack, who had been in and out every hour or so bringing the twins their small meals of applesauce and water. They had exchanged few words when she was in the room, neither of them really knowing what to say. Needless to say, he was surprised when an unknown voice greeted him.

"Greetings, from me to you; how are the brothers two?"

Flim turned to find a strange pony with a striped monochrome fur and mane. Even though the pony's muzzle was blocky like a stallion's, he could tell she was a female by the strange jewelry she wore. She was also wearing a satchel and carried the tray of food that Applejack normally brought up to them. "You're…a zebra." He said after staring at her for several seconds.

"That indeed is a true observation," she said with a chuckle. "And you're a unicorn if I'm not mistaken."

Flim blinked in confusion. He had noticed how the zebra's greeting had rhymed but originally thought it to just be a coincidence. Now he wasn't so sure.

"Zecora is what you can call me," the herbalist continued. "What do your names happen to be?"

"Uh…" Flim shook his head to gather his thoughts. "I'm Flim and he's Flam," answered the stallion.

Zecora bowed her head in official greeting before resuming their conversation. "I come with a special tea. It should stop his cough, just wait and see."

As if by cue, Flam began to hack violently in his sleep. Zecora quickly moved to his side, placing the tray on the nearby nightstand. Grabbing a steaming cup from the tray, she gently raised the unicorn's head and placed it to his lips. After spluttering for a few seconds, he began to swallow the soothing liquid until it was all gone. He coughed a few moments longer before resuming his feverish sleep. The zebra sighed heavily as she pulled out a cloth to wipe away the specks of blood Flam had spewed onto the blanket covering him.

"He is very ill, that much is clear. That he might not pull through is what I fear."

Flim could only nod in agreement, the storm of depression threatening to pull him under its icy waters once again in an attempt to drown out all other emotions. His vision became blurry as tears began to build up. He held them in, not wanting to succumb to his grief in front of anypony. He looked up when he felt a hoof gently placed on his shoulder. Zecora's expression was filled with reserved sadness as she spoke to him.

"Do not hold back your obvious grief. As a friend, I hope my shoulder can provide some relief."

The distraught stallion did not hold back as he leaned into the zebra's embrace and the floodgates holding back his tears burst. Zecora help him stoically as sob after sob shook his emancipated frame, her simple gesture of comfort doing more than any words could. Flim cried for what seemed like hours until he could cry no more. Sniffing and wiping his face, he pulled out of the hug.

"T-thank you." His voice was thick and his words slurred from fatigue. "I…I stained your fur…" He noticed.

Zecora gave him a small smile. "It matters not that my fur is stained. I was glad to help a friend that was pained."

Once Flim had calmed down, the herbalist showed him the medicine that Nurse Redheart had prescribed and explained how much and when the two should take them. When she was certain he understood everything, she gave a few more words of encouragement and took her leave, promising to check up on them the following day.

Flim watched her leave the farm from the window until she was lost in the distance. He turned his gaze back to the orchard as his inner storm returned. It was still bleak and unsettling and his tiny island of hope still seemed impossibly distant. However, he was able to navigate the heaving thoughts and emotions with slightly better precision. It was just as difficult as always, but he now had the support of a piece of driftwood that kept his head above the water. For some strange reason, the small life preserver was white with black stripes.

_I may be terrified that Flam's life might end, but at least now I have the support of a friend._

For the first time in several weeks, Flim's mouth turned upwards into a small smile.

* * *

"Applejack? Are you in here?"

"I'm in the kitchen!" The orange mare called out.

"Oh _there_ you are!" Rarity exclaimed in her normally dramatic tone as she and Twilight walked in. Applejack rolled her eyes and turned to face her friends.

"What can I do for you two?"

"We wanted to see how Flim and Flam were doing." The purple unicorn explained.

"How do you know about that?" AJ asked, eyeing Rarity with suspicion.

"Well it's not like it was a secret or anything." The fashion pony said in her defense. Applejack sighed in annoyance.

"Who all did ya tell?"

"Only our close friends, and don't worry. I made them promise to not tell anypony else." Rarity assured.

"Anyways," Twilight interrupted, "How are they?"

"You'll see in a minute." The farm pony answered as she turned back to her preparations. "I'm getting their next meal ready now so you can come up with me when I give it to them. Now where did that tray get to?"

The three mares turned in surprise when somepony cleared their throat behind them. Flim stood in the doorway with a sheepish expression and the serving tray on his back. Twilight gasped loudly at his condition, causing the cream unicorn to flinch slightly.

"Er…Zecora left this in the room when she left…" He explained lamely, nervous at the stare he was receiving from the purple unicorn.

"Put it on the counter over there." AJ instructed with a tart voice. Flim's ears flattened and he lowered his head slightly but he obeyed without comment. Twilight and Rarity shared a look of surprise at the farmer's harsh words. They gave her a questioning stare but the mare ignored them as she continued to make ready the Twins' meal.

"Uh, Miss Apple?" Flim began nervously.

"Applejack." The earth pony immediately corrected in the same short voice. Flim cleared his throat once more before restarted.

"Right. So, uh, Miss Applejack. You've already been doing so much for me and my brother and I don't want to be a bother, but, uh, I was wondering if you could, if it's possible that is, if you could maybe…"

"Spit it out already!" Applejack snapped with a roll of her eyes, gaining another glare from her two friends. Flim swallowed with apparent discomfort.

"I was wondering if you had any spare shirts that we could wear." The unicorn was blushing furiously as he gazed at the floor in embarrassment.

"W-what?" AJ's look of irritation was replaced with one of confusion.

"I know most ponies don't wear clothes," the unicorn continued, his blush deepening. "But it's just that we're used to wearing something most of the time, so we feel exposed when we aren't."

Applejack fiddled with her Stetson as she chewed the inside of her cheek. She certainly knew how Flim was feeling. She had once misplaced her beloved hat for several days and had refused to go into town until she had found it.

"I think we have some spare work shirts in the closet." She finally offered without the abruptness in her voice. Her two friends were now thoroughly confused at her behavior. AJ walked out of the room and returned a few minutes later with a bundle on her back. The bundle was enveloped in a green aura as Flim picked it up with his magic. In front of him floated two simple, sleeveless, brown work shirts. They were worn and stained from obvious use and had several tears in them.

"These will do." He said with a small smile.

"They absolutely will _not_!" Rarity exclaimed as her fashion sense kicked in. "It would be a crime to let you wear those _rags_!"

"They're _work_ clothes Rarity. They're not supposed to look nice!" Applejack argued.

"Nonsense! One can look fashionable while working hard and I'll prove it to you!" The white unicorn insisted as she wrested the shirts from Flim with her own magic. "I'll fix these up so they can be worn for farm work and make the pony wearing them look fantastic at the same time!"

"You don't have to." The stallion tried to reason. "They're fine, really…"

"I insist! I can't let this crime against fashion go unnoticed! I won't take 'no' for an answer!" With that, she placed the shirts into her saddlebag and glared at them, as if daring them to protest. Applejack sighed in resignation.

"Alright, do want you want! Just don't make them all frou-frou like!"

"I promise you won't be disappointed!" Rarity said with a girlish squeal of delight.

"So, how are you?" Twilight asked Flim once the white unicorn had settled down. His ears flattened once more.

"Not too well, Miss…?"

"Twilight Sparkle!" The mare offered enthusiastically.

"Well Miss Sparkle, I can honestly say that I'm not so well…"

"Whatever is the matter?" Rarity asked with sincere look of concern. The show pony didn't meet any of their gazes.

"I'm not sure you'll understand…"

"We won't unless you try to explain." Twilight reasoned.

Flim sighed as he resented and did his best to bring words to his feelings.

"Imagine having a best friend for your whole life; somepony who has always been there for everything. Every birthday, every holiday, every visit to the doctor, they were there. They're somepony who knows everything about you; your fears, your dreams, your closest kept secrets. Of course, you know everything about them as well. This friend is always there when you're upset and you for them because you both know the perfect way to cheer each other up.

"Now imagine that friend being taken from you without warning. The one pony you care for more than anything is gone forever, and there's nothing you can do about it. You didn't even get a last goodbye to tell them how important they were to you. I suppose that's why I'm not doing well. I'm scared that I'm going to lose my life-long friend. I'm scared that I'm going to lose my big brother…"

Flim didn't know when the tears had started, but he didn't care. He stood there silently, letting them roll down his face. Twilight was crying as well, thinking about herself and Spike and the day she would eventually leave him; the one friend that had been there since he hatched. Rarity and Applejack, while dry eyed, both wore expressions of extreme sadness.

No pony said anything as they let Flim cry himself out. After about ten minutes, he sniffed and wiped his face.

"Sorry." He croaked in a thick voice.

"There's no need to apologize." Rarity said. "No pony should _ever_ have to go through this!"

"No matter how much they deserve it…" Applejack muttered under her breath so no pony could hear.

Twilight wiped her own face and asked, "How did this happen anyways?"

"I don't feel like answering that right now Miss Sparkle…"

"That's fine, I understand." The unicorn mare said.

"How about you and your friends come back tomorrow?"

"Ok, but why all of our friends too?"

"This way, I won't have to tell it more than once." Flim answered.

"We'll come back tomorrow then. How does noon sound to you?" Twilight asked.

"That's fine with me."

"Well it's been nice chatting with you, but I must be getting back to the boutique." Rarity said.

"I should be getting back too." Twilight agreed.

"I'll see ya'll tomorrow." AJ said as the two unicorns left.

There was an awkward silence once Applejack and Flim were left alone in the kitchen. Neither of them met the other's eyes, gazing at everything but the other pony.

"Your meal is ready." Applejack finally said while gesturing to the tray of applesauce and glasses of water.

"Thank you."

"Do you need me to bring it to your room?"

"No, I can do it." Flim placed the tray on his back and carefully made his way out of the kitchen. "Thanks again…" He said softly as he exited.

Applejack let out a sigh and began to rub her forehead with her hooves. She couldn't explain it. She knew she should sympathize for the Flim and his brother. In fact, she _wanted_ to feel sorry for them. But for some reason she couldn't fathom, she didn't. Even after everything he had said about losing his twin and understanding his sadness, she still felt a twinge of anger at the two unicorn stallions.

Sighing in defeat, the orange mare began to clean up the mess she had made in hopes to distract herself from the confusing thoughts.

* * *

Flim watched the sunset with little interest, going over the events of the day in his head. It had been an extreme emotional roller coaster, but he had somehow made it through the first day at Sweet Apple Acres. The stallion sighed as he remembered what was to come the following noon. It was going to just as if not more emotional reviewing the past several months.

Deciding to turn in early, he turned away from the window. He approached his ill brother and watched him sleeping for a few moments. He leaned down and kissed Flam on the forehead.

"Please get well." Flim whispered. He settled into his pile of blankets just as Celestia finished setting the sun, officially ending the first of many days to come.

* * *

**Phew! Finally done! Sorry this took me so long. I just wanted to put some actual effort into writing this chapter as the first two were sort of written on impulse. **

**Anyways, a big huge thank you to SadieSwirl for beta reading this! You rock!**

**In other news, I'm thinking of starting a Rise of the Guardians fic now so this may not be updated very often. **

**Now that you've taken the time to read this all the way through, be sure to leave critiques and comments in a review! Wait… CURSE YOU ZECORA! **


	4. Outcasts

**Well here it is! The story behind Flim and Flam's misfortune!**

**Before we begin, let me give a big thank you to all of you who reviewed! Especially you, Almost an Actress! I hope your milk cooled down enough for you to drink it! XD**

**And another big thanks to SadieSwirl for being my beta! You rock!**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

******Disclaimer: I do not own MLP: FiM or any of its amazing characters. If I did, I would be rich and wouldn't be wasting my time writing this fic.**

* * *

Flim stared out the window, not really looking at anything. It was around nine in the morning. In three hours Applejack's friends would arrive. He gazed at his reflection in the glass, his cheeks hollow and bags under his eyes. His mane was disheveled as well from the lack of sleep. The stallion shivered at the memories that led up to his current appearance. He did not relish having to recount them to six mares he barely knew.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Flim turned from the window.

"Good morning!" Rarity greeted cheerfully as she entered the twins' room wearing a saddlebag.

"Good morning Miss Rarity." Flim responded. "I thought you weren't supposed to arrive until noon."

"I know darling, but I couldn't wait." She said as she placed her bag on the night stand. "I received a sudden stroke of inspiration last night and just had to show you!"

"Show me what?" Flim questioned, slightly nervous at the mare's enthusiasm.

"This!" Using her magic, Rarity pulled out the old shirt she had taken the previous day. It was completely restored, the stains and tears gone. She also had stitched a stylized 'F' inside an apple slice on the left collar. Other than that, the shirt was undecorated but still looked presentable, perfect for farm work or heading into town.

"It looks great." The cream colored unicorn complimented.

"Wait, I'm not done yet." She then proceeded to remove the second shirt from her bag. It was the same as the first, except the stylized 'F' was stitched in an apple missing a single slice on the right collar. It didn't take a genius to figure out which shirt belonged to which twin. "And what's an outfit without accessories!" The mare then revealed two bandanas that were two different shades of blue. She levitated the darker one above Flim's shirt and the lighter one above Flam's. The bright blues offset the dull brown nicely. Of course, the bandanas served a double purpose, allowing anypony who wore them to wipe away any excess sweat as they worked.

"You really put a lot of thought into this!" Flim said in an impressed tone after realizing all this.

"Why thank you darling!" The white unicorn said while looking away and adjusting her mane. She turned back to say something but frowned as she noticed his sleep-deprived appearance for the first time. "My goodness! You look positively dreadful!"

"Thanks." Flim deadpanned.

"Oh! I didn't mean to offend you!" Rarity quickly apologized. Flim sighed and shook his head.

"It's alright. I probably do look terrible at the moment."

"Well then, we'll just have to fix that!" The unicorn began pulling out hair brushes and several other self-care objects from her saddlebag. She advanced on the stallion, who began to back away slowly.

"Now there's no need-"

"Nonsense! I'll have you looking your best quicker than you can say 'nonpareil'!"

Caught off guard by the use of his old catch phrase, Flim didn't notice he was being backed into a corner before it was too late. Without any form of escape, the unicorn gulped and shut his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

* * *

Applejack opened her front door to reveal her remaining four friends along with Zecora. Twilight had a saddlebag filled with paper, ink, and quills, a smile on her face. Pinkie Pie was bouncing up in down in her usual excitement. Fluttershy seemed nervous, hiding her face in her mane while Rainbow Dash just looked bored. Zecora's expression was neutral.

"Well come on in." Applejack said, moving aside so they could enter her home. "Rarity's already upstairs, so let's get this over with." She led them up to the guest room and knocked. "Hey Flim and Rarity! The rest of the gang's here!" The heard the Rarity giggle before Flim told them to come in. The orange mare opened the door and temporarily forgot to breath.

Flim wore his newly repaired shirt along with its blue bandana. While it hung loosely from his skinny frame, it hid his exposed ribs. All traces of sleep were gone from his eyes and a charming smile graced his lips. The blue of the bandana complemented the red and white in his simply-styled mane, finishing the effect.

Something stirred slightly inside Applejack as she stared at the unicorn stallion. She stood there for several moments before Rainbow cleared her throat. Shaking her head and dispelling whatever the feeling was, the earth pony moved aside to allow the others into the room.

The reactions of the three ponies who had yet to see the twins' condition was mixed. Fluttershy immediately overcame her shyness and rushed to Flam's bedside, her nurturing instincts taking over as she stared nervously at him. Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing and her smile became smaller. Rainbow Dash simply glared at Flim skeptically.

Flim's smile grew as he noticed his zebra friend amongst the group. She smiled and nodded in his direction.

Applejack silently appraised Rarity's work on the old work shirt, coming to the same conclusions that Flim had about its style and practicality. She would have made a comment about it, but didn't want to give the white mare any ideas.

"Alright, let's get this over with!" Applejack said, causing the stallion's smile to vanish.

"Now hold on just a moment." Rarity intervened. "Not all of us have been properly introduced. Flim, these are Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy." The unicorn pointed to each of her friends as she introduced them.

"Nice to meet you all." Flim said while bowing his head in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you too!" The pink earth pony exclaimed, bouncing up and down once more. "I mean, we've met before when you were here with that machine that made that yucky cider and you were being a big meanie and tried to take Applejack's farm but we never _met _you and it's always nice to meet somepony new even if they were meanies in the past but I bet you aren't now and we should _totally _throw you a welcome party!" Taking a deep breath after her rant, Pinkie Pie threw her hoofs in the air, causing an explosion of confetti. Flim simply stared, unsure what just happened.

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight scolded. "They're in no condition to attend a party right now!"

"Well how do we know they aren't just faking?" Rainbow accused, glaring at the stallion.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity exclaimed. Before she could continue berating the cyan pegasus, Flim held up his hoof, silencing her.

"It's ok Miss Rarity." His tone was even and he met Rainbow's glare with his own stare. His horn came to life with a green aura. Shortly, Flim had removed his shirt, revealing his exposed ribs.

"Oh my!" Fluttershy exclaimed softly. Pinkie's smile vanished into a concerned frown and gasped. Rainbow held out her hoof slowly in shock but quickly pulled back in embarrassment.

"Go ahead." Flim encouraged. The mare extended her hoof once more and felt his side, swiftly pulling back and shivering and the feeling of his exposed bones.

"Um… Sorry about that." She apologized.

"It's fine." He said, donning the shirt once more.

"H-how did that happen? If you don't mind telling us that is…" Fluttershy asked quietly. The cream unicorn sighed heavily.

"Get comfortable, it's a long story." As everypony sat down, Twilight pulled out a quill and some paper from her bag, ready to write down every word. Once they were all settled, Flim began his tale.

"It all started a few days after our little mishap here in Ponyville. We were looking for another orchard to challenge against our Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000…"

_The large magic propelled mechanism rolled across the desert, heading for its next target._

_ "Are you sure these ponies in_ _Appaloosa will be easier to scam?" Flim asked his brother as they lounged on the couch set on the front of the hulking cider-maker. _

_ "I'm positive, brother of mine!" Flam assured. "These are simple-minded settlers. Any form of superior technology to their mundane farming methods will have them stupefied! They'll be eating out of our hooves!" _

"Needless to say, we didn't receive a very warm welcome…"

_ The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 raced away from the settler town, a herd of angry buffalo hot on its trail._

_ "So much for 'simple-minded'!" Flim yelled as they sped across the barren land._

_ "How was I supposed to know that some of them were related to the ponies in Ponyville?!" Flam shouted back, using his magic to urge their mode of transport to move faster._

"We were met with pretty much the same result in every town after that. Somehow, stories of us were being spread ahead of us. Most of them portrayed us as untrustworthy criminals who would rob a town completely blind if given the chance. Naturally, we were chased away immediately after somepony recognized us.

"We eventually ran out of bits. Deciding to cut our losses, we were forced to sell the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 for parts. The money we received from that lasted about a week, so we tried to get some jobs…"

_The two brothers walked up the farm house and knocked on the door. After a few moments, a brown earth pony with a grey mane wearing a pilgrim's hat opened it._

_ "What can I do for you?" He asked._

_ "Well, me and my brother were looking for some work and wondered if you had any open positions." Flam answered. The earth pony scratched his chin as he thought. _

_ "We do need some help breaking up those granite boulders… What are your names?"_

_ "Well I'm Flam, and this is my brother Flim." The rock farmer immediately glared at the pair as he recognized their names._

_ "I'm sorry, but we don't except help from the likes of you!" He slammed the door in their faces. Sighing in defeat, the twins trudged away from the farm, passing a blue unicorn mare as they did._

"Unfortunately, no pony would trust us. We began to go hungry. Desperate, we swallowed our pride and tried to apply for unemployment benefits until we could find some pony that would hire us. But of course, the government ponies thought we were trying to pull a scam and refused to help us."

At this point, Flam began another one of his coughing fits, causing everypony except Flim, Applejack, and Zecora to flinch at how horrible it sounded. Luckily, the zebra had thought ahead and quickly administered her herbal tea. The coughing soon stopped and silence enveloped the room. Everypony stared at the ill unicorn for several minutes before turning back to his twin, gesturing for him to continue. With a sigh, he complied.

"Anyways, to sum it up, we were not trusted anywhere we went and slowly went hungry. This lasted for about a month or two. We were able to get some food by begging, but not that much. What was worse is that we had no place to stay…"

_ Night had fallen over the landscape as the two brothers settled down in a grove of trees. They had not slept under any sort of roof for weeks. The days were slowly getting colder as autumn approached, which would be a major problem for the brothers as they had no shelter. Flim's ears flicked up as he heard a distant rumble._

_ "Do you think it's going to rain?" He asked worriedly. Flam lifted his head and sniffed the air._

_ "I don't think so. Come on, let go to sleep." They positioned themselves for the night. Flim was curled up against a broad tree while Flam wrapped himself around his younger brother, his back facing the only gap in the circle of trees._

Flim's ears lowered as he related this part of the tale. "He…he lied to me. He knew it was going to rain and made it so that he would take the full brunt of the storm. He…protected me." Tears threatened to come forth once again, but he shook his head resolutely. He needed to finish before he could allow himself to succumb to his emotions.

"After that, Flam got sick. It started out as a simple cold, but we were already half-starved and the nights were getting colder. He continues to get worse with each passing day. We wandered for another month before we settled just outside the Everfree because he was too weak to continue. The rest you already know."

There was a heavy silence once Flim finished. Everypony wore a troubled expression as they thought over what they were just told. Applejack was having a battle within her mind. She finally had a reason to feel sorry for the twins, yet she still felt the anger at them. Twilight had put down her quill and was reviewing what she wrote. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash simply stared at each other with sad looks. Zecora also seemed lost in thought, but it was hard to tell.

Their musings were interrupted however as Flim sighed. He was staring at the floor with his eyes closed.

"I suppose we brought this upon ourselves. If we hadn't tried to scam the Apple Family out of their farm, this might have never happened and Flam wouldn't…" He trailed off as he opened his eyes and looked at the orange mare. "I realize that what we did was wrong and that you have every right to hate us. Yet you still took us in and took care of us. I could never thank you enough for your hospitality." He took a deep breath as he steeled himself for what he was about to say. "I'm truly sorry for what we did. Could you ever forgive us?"

And just like that, all of Applejack's anger at the pair had vanished. The sincerity of the apology she didn't know she had been waiting for chased away any ill feelings she had against them. She smiled at the stallion.

"Of course I forgive you! And don't bother thanking us. What are friends for?"

There was a stunned silence at this announcement. Flim's mouth hung open as he stared at the grinning farm pony. He hadn't expected her to forgive them that easily due to her offish attitude she had been giving him the previous day.

"F-friends?" He finally stammered out.

"Friends." Applejack confirmed with a firm nod.

"Woo-hoo!" Exclaimed Pinkie Pie, letting loose another confetti explosion in her typical celebratory manner. "We should have an Applejack-and-Flim-are-friends party now! Oh wait! You're too sick to have a party. WAIT! We could have a get-well party!" Flim chuckled at her antics.

"It's alright Pinkie Pie. You don't have to throw us a party." He said. She deflated a little at this. "How about you throw us one once we are fully recovered instead?" The hyperactive mare gasped loudly at this and babbled something about preparations and for some reason mustaches before dashing out of the room at high speeds. Flim blinked. "Uh... What just happened?"

"Just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Anyways, I'm really sorry for what happened to you two." Applejack started. "Like Rarity said, no pony should ever have to go through what you did." The others all nodded. "If there's anything you need from us don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you." Flim's voice was starting to crack as the tears threatened to come back with a vengeance. However, the unicorn was overcome with positive emotions this time, so he didn't hold them back. Rarity smiled and pulled him into a hug. Everypony soon joined in, even Pinkie Pie who had somehow rejoined them unnoticed.

The stallion smiled through his tears. His inner storm still raged, but the island of hope was closer than ever, because now he was buoyed up by friendship.

* * *

_ Dear Princess Celestia_,

_Today I learned a valuable lesson in friendship. I learned that if somepony does something to offend you that you should always give them a second chance if they are willing to seek your forgiveness. Holding onto a grudge does nothing but prevent a potential friendship from forming. So it's better to just swallow a piece of humble pie and give that pony a shot than let your pride and anger get in the way. _

_ Your faithful subject,_

_ Applejack_

* * *

**THE END!**

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**Just kidding! We still have a ways to go before this story ends! (About 10 to 12 chapters to be exact.)**

**But yeah…I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. It just did NOT want to be written. I had intended to extend the whole back-story, but eventually lost patients with it. So the result was a chapter that was about 400 words shorter than the previous one. (Not counting these Author's Notes.) T-T I hope I get my muse back when I write the next one.**

**Anyways, please leave some comments, critiques, questions, hate mail, spam, trolls, letters of endearment, poems, love songs, ancient riddles, cryptic messages, essays, novels, sheet music, and/or death threats in a review! ****I would love and appreciate them all!**


	5. Delirium

******Hey there everypony! I bet you weren't expecting me to update so soon, where you?**

**********Well, you have loltroll22 to thank for that! He gave me a creative boost that allowed me to finish this so fast. Unfortunately, it's also shorter than the last chapter. Again, you have loltroll22 to thank. *troll face***

**************Hahaha! Just kidding! The reason it's so short is because it's fast paced and full of suspense from the start.**

**So don't let me keep you from reading it! Without further ado, chapter 5!**

******Disclaimer: I do not own MLP FiM or any of its characters.**

* * *

Pinkie Pie bounced down the street merrily, not a care in the world. Suddenly, she stopped as she sensed something shudder in her shoulder.

_Hehehe! Alliterations are fun!_

It was her Pinkie Sense! Focusing intently, she listed off each action mentally as the combo took its course.

_Ok, that's "Shuddering Shoulders", "Knee Ache", "Left Ear Flop", "Twitchy Tail", "Itchy Nose", and "Numb Tongue"!_

The pink mare gasped. That was the combo for a medical emergency! She waited, even more focused than before. Whenever she received this combo, it was soon followed by a combo for the location of said emergency. She called these "Double Combos". She didn't have to wait long.

_Alright, here we go! "Eye Pop", "Tingly Hooves", "Numb Tongue", "Right Ear Flop", and "Hula Hips"!_

Pinkie frowned.

"But wait," she mused out loud. "That's Sweet Apple…." She trailed off as she realized the significance of this Double Combo. Her eyes widened and she was soon speeding towards the hospital at the speed of Pinkie, shouting at the top of her lungs, "_**NURSE REDHEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAART**_!"

* * *

Pain.

That was the first thing he became aware of.

Agonizing. Throbbing. Burning. Pain.

It _hurt_.

Why did it hurt so much?

It hurt with every breath he took. It hurt every time he shifted his position even slightly. It hurt with every swallow of the liquid food and steaming beverage forced into his mouth. It especially hurt whenever he was forced to live through the hell that was his coughing fits.

It hurt. _So much_.

The second thing he noticed was the heat.

Searing. Unrelenting. Oppressive. Heat.

It was _suffocating_.

Every part of his body smoldered with it. It felt as if he had been banished to the sun.

_Why _was it so hot?

The third thing he became aware of was how the pain _mixed _with the heat in a cruel way, causing his entire being to throb and pulse.

It was _torturous_.

There was something covering him, something heavy and crushing. _It_ was causing the heat; a heat that had become unbearable when paired with the pain.

Something in him snapped as he let loose a bloodcurdling scream and struggled against the offensive weight.

* * *

Pinkie Pie burst through the front door of the hospital and rushed up to the receptionist's desk.

"_**I NEED NURSE READHEART!**_" She screamed.

"Calm down Ma'am," the receptionist said calmly. "What's the problem?"

"_**MY PINKIE SENSE WENT OFF! THAT'S THE PROBLEM!**_"

The mare at the counter gasped as she recognized the pink pony. The hospital had come to take her warnings very seriously. The first time she had alerted them to an emergency, they had ignored her. Their inaction had been disastrous for a poor pony who had been left in a wheelchair because they weren't able to respond fast enough. The receptionist quickly turned the intercom on.

"Attention! All emergency staff and Nurse Redheart! We have a Code Pinkie in the main lobby! I repeat! Code Pinkie!"

* * *

He _had_ to escape the heat. It didn't matter how much it hurt as he struggled against his confinement, he _had _to get some relief. He heard shouting, but he couldn't understand what was being said over the sound of his own screams.

He had almost freed himself when a pair of strong hooves held him down. Panic set in as he fought the tight grip with all his might. He screamed the entire time, each thrash sending an ocean of pain crashing through his body. But none of that mattered. The heat was going to drive him insane if he didn't get away from it.

Soon his throat became raw and his screaming stopped. But the coughing had just begun. His lungs became a field of flames as he hacked and spluttered. He felt some sort of liquid being spewed from his mouth. It was warm and tasted of metal. A chill went down his spine when he realized what it was.

* * *

He sat in the corner of the room, sobbing uncontrollably. No form of comfort would be able to console him.

It was happening. The thing he had feared for the past few days was here.

He had a 50-50 chance. They would soon know which half would take place.

Another scream filled the air as he sobbed harder. It was breaking his heart to hear him in so much pain. It physically hurt him to hear such agonizing sounds. A sharp stabbing pain shot through his chest every time he took a breath.

But that didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for the horrible noises coming from the pony across the room.

Somepony was shouting as the door burst open, but he didn't hear it as the terrible coughing began. He curled into a ball and covered his ears with his hooves.

_Dear Celestia, make it stop! Make it stop!_

* * *

Pinkie Pie stared into the room from the entry way, unsure of what to do. A doctor was helping Big Mac hold down the struggling Flam while Nurse Redheart and another doctor were setting up medical equipment with some assistance from Applejack. Shouts, coughs, and sobs filled the air in a panicked orchestra.

"He's coughing up too much blood! We're going to have to sedate him," shouted the doctor restraining the unicorn.

The other doctor prepared a syringe with a large needle, filling it with a clear liquid.

"Hold him steady!"

"F-flim…" The sick stallion managed to splutter between coughs. The grieving brother was up immediately and tried to get to his twin.

"Flam! Flam, I'm right here!" Applejack stopped him before he could reach the bed. "No! I've got to see him! He needs me!"

"Pinkie!" The orange mare shouted, getting the party pony's attention. "Take Flim into the other room and keep him there!"

"Er…right!" Pinkie said. Using a logic-defying strength, she was able to pick up the flailing stallion and drag him from the room.

"No! No! He needs me! Flam! _**FLAM**_!"

She was able to pull him across the hall into Applejack's room. She closed the door and locked it. Flim had escaped her grasp and was curled up on the floor sobbing once more. Pinkie Pie's hair flattened as she saw his broken state. Tears were flowing down her own face as she pulled him into a hug and stroked his mane soothingly.

"It's going to be ok." She whispered softly, sounding almost exactly like Fluttershy. "Everything is going to be just fine." For the first time she could remember, Pinkie Pie didn't believe her own words.

* * *

Another set of hooves had joined in the effort to hold him down. He could barely make out the sound of shouting over his own coughs. More and more blood was being expelled with each one, and that scared him to no end. He had no idea what was happening to him. Was he going to die? Where was his brother?

A jolt ran through him as he realized that he did indeed have a twin, a twin that he cared for very much and would currently give anything to be held by him. Mustering his remaining strength, he called out weakly to his brother.

"F-flim…"

There was more shouting, but he was able to detect Flim's voice in the jumble of noise. But, instead of getting closer, it seemed to be fading further away. Before he could begin to worry, something pierced his foreleg and everything drifted away into a black oblivion.

* * *

Pinkie Pie rocked the now silent unicorn gently, whispering comforting nothing into his ear. The coughing from the other room had stopped several minutes ago, but Nurse Redheart was still shouting orders. She sounded frantic, which was not a good sign.

"Don't you worry Flim, I'm sure he'll be just fine."

Flim didn't answer.

"You know what I'm going to do when you're both fully recovered? I'm going to throw the biggest party ever for you two! How does that sound?"

The stallion didn't even react.

"Flim? Are you listening?"

Silence.

Pinkie Pie glanced nervously down at the cream colored unicorn.

"Flim?"

* * *

_He trotted across a large field. A soft breeze wafted through the air, carrying the scent of the many blooming flowers. The sun was shining brightly and it was pleasantly warm. _

_He didn't know how he got there, or where he even was, but he didn't really care. It was peaceful here and he couldn't remember a time he felt this serene. It was if every trouble or concern he had was blown away by the wind that ruffled his mane. _

_He didn't know how long he had been walking for, but he soon came to the top of a large hill. The field spread out for miles in every direction, stretching all the way to the edge of the horizon. Without any place to go, he simply sat down and enjoyed his surroundings. _

_With a content sigh he gazed around at the many flowers and up at the deep blue sky. Again, he didn't know how long he had been sitting there before he noticed something. Off in the distance, a figure was slowly approaching the hill._

* * *

Pinkie burst into the guest room in near hysterics. Tears were cascading down her cheeks as she hyperventilated.

"Pinkie Pie!" Applejack exclaimed as she noticed the state the pink earth pony was in. "What's wrong?"

"Flim…*GASP* He's… *GASP* He's… *GASP* He's… *GASP*"

"He's what, Pinkie? He's what?"

"_**HE'S NOT BREATHING!**_"

As she shouted this, the heart monitor that the doctors had attached to Flam let out a loud and ominous: _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

* * *

_Flim stood up as he recognized the pony approaching him._

"_Flam!" _

"_Flim!" The unicorn shouted as he sped up. The two brothers embraced at the top of the hill as tears of happiness sprang from their eyes. _

"_Flam! Oh Flam! I was so scared!"_

"_So was I." _

"_I thought… I thought you were going to…"_

"_So did I."_

"_Oh Flam!" They held each other for several minutes, neither wanting to let go. Finally, Flam pulled away and looked around._

"_Flim?"_

"_Yes brother of mine?"_

"_Where are we?"_

"_I… I don't know."_

"_The last thing I remember was being in a lot of pain and then…" Their eyes widened as realization struck them._

"_Wait…" Flim began. "Are we _dead_?!"_

_**Not quite.**_

_The twins jumped at the voice._

_**Do not be afraid. You are safe.**_

_The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. It was neither male nor female. It spoke with a calming tone that was filled with power and wisdom. They immediately felt relaxed in its presence. _

"_Who are you?" Flam asked._

_**That is not important right now. Right now, you two must make a decision.**_

"_What kind of decision?" Flim wondered._

_**To first answer your previous question, neither of you are dead. At least, not yet.**_

"_What does that have to do with it?" Flam said, slightly confused._

_**You must choose.**_

_"Choose what?" Flim inquired._

_**Isn't it obvious?**_

_ "No." The brothers said in unison. The voice sighed._

_**You must choose whether you will move on, or if you will go back.**_

_ The twin unicorns were silent at this._

_**Be warned, if you decide to return, you will face many difficult obstacles. However, if you are able to overcome them, the rewards will be great. I will wait for your answer.**_

_ With that, the voice left them to make their choice. Flim took a breath._

_ "Flam, I want you to choose for the both of us."_

_ "What?! Why me?" _

_ "Because, you were in the most pain when we left. If you don't want to go back to that, I'll respect your choice."_

_ "But you were going to make a full recovery, weren't you? You still have a full life ahead of you!" Flim stared intensely at his brother. _

_ "A life without you isn't a life at all. I would rather die than have to live without my best friend." _

_ Flam's jaw dropped. He knew his brother cared for him, but this? He was completely stunned. Although, the more he thought about it, he began to realize he felt the same way. He swallowed nervously._

_ "Are you sure?"_

_ "More sure than anything else." Flim said with a nod._

_ "Alright then." Flam took a shaky breath and closed his eyes as he thought. Before long he opened them and looked up at the sky. "I've made my decision."_

* * *

******Annnnnnnnd CLIFFHANGER! Don't you just LOVE them?! *dodges sharp objects being thrown at me***

**********Anyways, I'm going to take a break from this story so I work on my Rise of the Guardians fic. *ducks to avoid knife***

**************Oh, and you're going to HATE me after the next chapter. *sidesteps volley of arrows***

******************Thanks to SadieSwirl for being my beta! You're awesome!**

**Don't forget to leave a review critiquing this chapter and telling me weather the twins should die or not! *pelted with tomatoes***

******See you next time everypony!**


	6. Here on the Farm

**Sooooooooooo, remember when I said I was going to take a break from this and work on my Rise of the Guardians fic? Apparently I lied. So here! Have chapter 6! **

**Prepare your tissues and pitchforks, because you're going to need them!**

**Disclaimer: I, Inkweaver22, do not own MLP: FiM, even though I really wish I did.**

* * *

The funeral was a small affair, only a dozen or so ponies showing up to the service. The two headstones rested under a lone willow on a gently sloping hill. A light drizzle fell on the congregation, courtesy of the town's weather team. A melancholy mood filled the air as the preacher pony recited off his memorized prayer with little emotion.

Once he finished and the moment of silence observed, several ponies came forward to say their final farewells. They were all basically similar; the pony would say that even though they didn't know the pair very long, that they considered them to be friends and then return to their seat, allowing the next pony in line to get up and repeat the same process. There were some tears from the more sensitive ponies, but none actually broke down.

Soon enough, the service ended and the crowd dispersed and returned to their daily activities. A single mare stayed behind and stared forlornly at the graves. She thought about all that had happened these past several days and the two ponies that had been abruptly brought into her life. That is, until they were taken out of it just as suddenly as they had came in. With a heavy sigh she turned and slowly trudged away.

A sudden breeze gusted through the area, blowing away several leaves along with the memory of the two ponies that had made an unexpected impact on the quiet town and its residents.

**THE END**

* * *

"Hmph! What a rip off!" Flam tossed the book onto the nightstand and picked up the next one in the pile on his bed. Twilight had been kind enough to drop them by earlier that week so he wouldn't be completely bored as he recovered.

It had been two weeks since his fever had reached its peak and he had flat lined. It was definitely a tense moment. Flim had even had a heart attack from the stress of the entire situation. Luckily, Nurse Redheart and the other doctors were able to work quickly and save both of the twins. Flam shuddered as he remembered the pain he had gone through before his fever finally broke over twenty four hours later.

When Flam had discovered that it was Apple family that had rescued them, he was defiant at first. He had initially blamed them for all their misfortune and being cared for by them seemed to add insult to injury. He and Flim had even gotten into an argument over his behavior. It had taken Applejack's offer of friendship and forgiveness of their actions for him to start warming up to them.

Slowly, but steadily, the brothers were recovering. Flam's cough was all but gone, but he was not yet allowed to leave the house as autumn was almost upon them. Both twins had regained a significant amount of weight to where their ribs were no longer showing, but they were still far below the normal standards. They were, however, allowed to eat solid food once again.

"Flam? Could you come down here please?" Applejack called from downstairs. With a sigh, the unicorn closed the book he had just started and made his way to the first floor. Flim, Applejack, Big Mac, Granny Smith, and Nurse Redheart were all waiting for him in the living room when he entered.

"What's going on?" Flam asked nervously as he noticed the white mare.

"Well I was going through the results of your most recent checkup," the nurse started, "and while you still have a little ways to go to be completely recovered, you're both well enough to start working!"

"Working?" Flam tilted his head in confusion.

"We're going to be helping out here at Sweet Apple Acres." Flim explained to his brother. "They were kind enough to pay for most of our medical expenses, so we must work here to repay them."

"Oh! Of course! I almost forgot about that!" Flam chuckled at his forgetfulness but then frowned. "But wait, how can I help if I can't go outside?"

"There's plenty to do inside, young'un!" Granny Smith said. "Assist me to the kitchen and I'll show you!" Flam did as he was instructed and helped the elderly mare into the kitchen.

"Well, I best get back to the hospital." Nurse Redheart made her way to the door.

"It was nice seeing you again!" Flim called out as she left. He turned to the two Apple siblings. "So what exactly do you do here besides grow apples?" Applejack and Big Mac shared a devious grin.

"Oh you'll find out soon enough." AJ said with a chuckle that sent chills down the stallion's spine.

* * *

Flim stood with the siblings on a hill that overlooked the entire farm. He glanced nervously at them while waiting for their instructions. Applejack smirked at him.

"So you were wondering what all we do? Well, then, let's get started!" Catchy country music began to play as she led him around the property and showed him what all they needed to accomplish. After a few bars, she began to sing.

"_Here at Sweet Apple Acres,_

_There's always plenty of work._

_So get a move on partner!_

_There isn't any time to shirk._

_We have a long day ahead of us,_

_So make sure you're prepared._

_Picking apples, chopping wood,_

_Fixing things that need repaired!_"

She began to buck trees as the chorus began.

"_Here on the farm!_

_We work all the day long!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our spirit keeps us strong!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our work is our song!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Everypony sing along!_"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Granny Smith began to show Flam how to make apple-based treats. Ingredients and mixing tools covered every available space on the counters as she began to sing.

"_Here at Sweet Apple Acres,_

_There's always plenty to make!_

_So many delicious treats,_

_Fritters and pies that we must bake!_

_Make sure we have the ingredients._

_Stir the batter, knead the dough._

_Measure out the sugar and flour,_

_Pour it in nice and slow._"

The elderly mare placed the first pie in the oven and helped the stallion start the next one as chorus started again.

"_Here on the farm!_

_We work all the day long!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our spirit keeps us strong!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our work is our song!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Everypony sing along!_"

Flim and Flam worked diligently, be it picking apples with magic or sweeping the floor. The music stirred something within them, and they both began to sing. While they weren't within earshot of each other, their status as both twins and unicorns allowed them to be perfectly in time with each other and sing the exact same lyrics.

"_Here at Sweet Apple Acres, _

_We must repay our debt._

_To the kind ponies who took us in,_

_With hard work and sweat._

_We'll chop the wood; we'll clean the house,_

_With everything we'll help._

_If you need the Flim Flam brothers,_

_Just give out a yelp._

_Here on the farm!_

_We work all the day long!_

_Here on the farm!_

_To right our past wrong!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our work is our song!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Everypony sing along!_"

A smile was on every pony's face as they worked. Flim was helping Big Mac mend a broken fence, Applejack was bucking trees and harvesting apples, Flam was washing dishes, and Granny Smith was dusting the furniture. As they cheerfully did their jobs, they all joined in the final chorus.

"_Here on the farm!_

_We work all the day long!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our spirit keeps us strong!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Our work is our song!_

_Here on the farm!_

_Everypony sing along!_"

* * *

Flim hummed happily to himself as he picked apples with his magic and placed them in the baskets at the base of each tree. As he didn't need to stop at each tree, he trotted down the row at a leisurely pace. Despite his concerns due to the sibling's teasing, he had come to enjoy the work in a short time. Something about working hard made him feel satisfied.

_No wonder they run us out of town._ He thought with a chuckle. Using his magic to wipe away some sweat with his bandana, the cream colored pony began to take the full baskets back to the barn to be stored. It had been a long day and the sun was starting to dip past the horizon.

Something caught his eye as he approached the large structure. He stopped and stared, the baskets falling to the ground. Applejack was standing silhouetted against the sun while gazing at her beloved orchard. The light caused her golden hair to shine and her green eyes sparkle. Flim felt heat rising in his cheeks and his heart started to run a marathon as he watched her silently.

_Wow… She's beautiful…_

"What're you staring at?"

Flim gave a yelp and turned quickly to see Big Mac staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh! Er… I… Uh… Nothing! I wasn't looking at anything!" The unicorn stuttered, his blush deepening.

"Uh huh." The large red stallion said skeptically.

"Well, I, uh, better get these to the barn." Flim picked up the baskets and quickly trotted off, leaving behind a very suspicious Big Mac.

* * *

Flim stared down at the bath water he was sitting in and let his mind go blank as he enjoyed the warmth. Flam was sitting behind him, scrubbing his younger brother's back as he talked about his day.

"And I had no idea that flour could be used to remove stains! It worked better than magic!" Flam was saying.

"Uh huh." Flim replied.

"Did you know that there are over three hundred different apple-based dishes? Granny Smith knows the recipe to every single one!"

"Uh huh."

Flam frowned at his brother's under-enthusiasm.

"She also used to be a ninja and worked for Princess Celestia by assassinating any potentially dangerous ponies."

"Uh huh."

"Flim, what's wrong?" Flam asked as he set the wash rag aside.

"Hmmm? Oh, nothing. I'm fine."

"No you aren't. You were distracted at dinner as well."

Flim rested his chin on the side of the tub and sighed.

"I'm just… thinking."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know."

"Are you thinking about Applejack?" Flam asked with a knowing smile. Flim sat up and spluttered as his cheeks began to turn red.

"W-what?! How did you... I mean! No! I-I wasn't… I was just… No!" Flam chuckled at his twin's reaction.

"Don't think I didn't notice you sneak glances at her when you thought no pony was looking. And don't worry, I won't tell any pony."

"You promise?" Flim asked.

"Of course I do."

"I want you to Pinkie Promise."

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Flam made the movements as he recited the same promise Pinkie Pie had shown them when she promised to give them the best party ever when they were fully recovered.

"Good." Flim said as he rested once again against the tub. His twin resumed washing him, this time scrubbing his mane. They finished their bath in comfortable silence and then went to bed exhausted. Dawn would come too soon for them the following morning.

* * *

The next few days were almost exactly like the first. They would all wake up at dawn, have breakfast, and then work for the rest of the day until sunset. Flim tried to avoid Applejack whenever possible as his pulse would start to race whenever she was near. While she didn't notice his actions, her brother certainly did. He watched Flim closely without trying to hide it, unnerving the unicorn. It also didn't help that Flam would subtly tease him about it at dinner, earning more scrutiny from the red Earth pony.

The younger twin did his best to ignore all these distractions and focus instead on whatever task he was completing. It worked for the most part, until he noticed either Big Mac, or worse, Applejack herself, staring at him. The feeling of their eyes on him made him nervous and clumsy, often causing him to make mistakes or accidentally hurt himself. He had once glued a piece of wood to his foreleg, much to the amusement of every pony else.

Flam, on the other hoof, was actually enjoying his time stuck inside. He discovered a secret joy for cooking with apples and learned as many recipes as he could from Granny Smith. He even experimented with his new found skill, creating a surprisingly delicious meal of baked apples covered in melted cheese and nuts as well as other dishes.

Before either twin knew it, another week had passed. And then another. They quickly became adjusted to their new lifestyle and enjoyed every minute of it. It was as if they had rediscovered their special talents. Instead of selling low quality cider for a quick bit, they loved working with apples in general, especially the apples of Sweet Apple Acres.

* * *

**Another short chapter… DX**

**By now, you all are probably thinking: "Why should we hate you right now Ink?" Well first off is the trolling I put you through at the beginning. Second is because this chapter is mainly filler. Nothing really important happens besides Flim and Flam starting to work on the farm. Well, that and discovering that Granny Smith was once a ninja assassin. ; ) **

**Speaking of farm, I wrote "Here on the Farm" myself! What did you think? Did it fit the MLP spirit? Hey! If enough of you ask in a review, I may record it and post it on YouTube! Vocals only as I have no idea how to compose music, only write lyrics. **

**Hey, I need your help! I've run out of ideas on what should happen next so give me some suggestions! **

**Anyways, thank you all so much for being so amazing and taking your time to read this! And thanks to SadieSwirl for being an awesome beta!**

******You know the drill by now! Leave me some comments, suggestions, and other forms of literature in a review! Especially if you want to hear me sing "Here on the Farm"! ; D**


	7. Apology

_**Um, hey there everyone/everypony, how's it going? This is just a quick update to apologize for my severe lack of activity on here. It's just… I feel as if I've lost my muse. Being able to write always depended on my mood, so this is kind of serious. So those reading my three fics, I apologize as they may not be updated in a while. However! You can help by constantly sending me PM's asking on the progress of the chapters or giving me suggestions as I desperately need them. That may be enough to put me in the writing mood or maybe not. It all depends on you guys! So until the next update (whenever THAT may be), talk to you later!**_


	8. Update

**Hey guys! Just a quick update on stuff. **

**First off, I'm still on temporary hiatus due to my lack of motivation. : ( Sorry about that. If you want to help me get over it there is a simple task I have for you: **_**DON'T STOP PESTERING ME.**_** I'm serious. PM me constantly telling me to get off my lazy butt and get to work; you don't even have to be nice about it. Also, give me LOTS of ideas. I started these fics without really planning them out so I need all the help I can get. Although, now that I mention it, I may not have as much time as before to work on these…**

**Which brings me to my second announcement: I'm getting a job! I'm being hired by a janitorial service to work at the Amazon warehouse here in my hometown. I work 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. I don't know my schedule so I don't know which three days I'm getting off. But I'll try my best to find time to work on my stories!**

**Now for today's final topic: I'm starting a poll! Why? Because, counting my currently three on-going fics, I have 10 stories I really want to write. So, I'm going to see which ones you guys would be most interested in! I'll be including summaries of most of the stories in the poll including the three on-going. I need you all to vote for your **_**TOP 5**_**.**** I'll focus most of my effort on the most popular ideas, so make sure you vote! You'll be able to find it on my profile!**

**Once again, I'm sorry for the lack of updates. But hopefully you can help change that! Until next time!**

**-Ink**


	9. BIG Update

**Ok guys, this is just another update on what's going on, and it's a biggie: I think I have figured out why I'm having this writer's block for all my stories. The problem is twofold. **

**First, I rushed into writing these and the low quality of the previous chapters makes me cringe. **

**Second, I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen next in each story. Oh, I have plenty of ideas, but that's the problem. I've been hit with so many plot bunnies of my own making and from your great suggestions that I have no idea which direction to go anymore. **

**So, I have come up with a solution that you may not like: I'm rebooting each story so they'll be more fleshed out and have better quality. **

**Now before you panic, let me explain how I plan on doing this. First, I'm going to write down all my ideas for each story and organize them into a chronological timeline. Then, I'm going to write out summaries of each and every chapter. THEN, I'm going to start re-writing the chapters using the timelines/summaries. When I have four or five chapters of each story completed/proofread by my betas, I'll re-post the first chapter of each **_**IN A SEPARATE STORY**_**. Let me repeat that so you don't misunderstand: **_**WHEN I HAVE COMPLETED RE-WRITING THE CHAPTERS THEY WILL BE POSTED AS SEPARATE STORIES**_**. Then, every time I complete a new chapter, I will already have one proofread so I can post it immediately. And don't worry; I'll keep the originals of each story up even after the re-boots are posted. I'll update these again when I do post the re-boots as well.**

**Now, the following applies to those reading ****Resolute Spirit****. As you know, I've been accepting OC's from you guys to have cameos within the story. I have found an inconsistency with the story and some of your OC's. In chapter 3, Bunny says that Jack is the last spirit MiM has ever created. However, in some of the backstories of your characters, they were made AFTER Jack. See the problem with this? **

**So, I've made a decision: **_**IF YOU WANT YOUR OC TO BE IN THE RE-BOOT, YOU'LL NEED TO EITHER CREATE AN ENTIRELY NEW OC OR UPDATE THEIR BACKSTORY **__**AND THEN SEND IT TO ME IN A -/PM/-!**__** IF YOU DON'T SEND IT TO ME THROUGH A PM, I WON'T ACCEPT IT!**_

**Here's a list of those who have sent me OC's:**

**Charlie Moosefeather**

**dragonbird23**

**The Dangerous One**

**Rosemary**

**Wow… I thought there were more of them than that… Anywho, I'll be sending these 4 PM's about this as well later. And just because I'm re-booting the story doesn't mean I'm not accepting any more OC's! Just give me the following information **_**IN A PM**_**: Name, Appearance, Gender, What they're the spirit of, Age (optional), Powers (include center), and Backstory (please be detailed and make it several paragraphs long). **

**Now here's what I'm **_**NOT**_** looking for: Any spirit made after Jack Frost; a spirit for Valentine's Day/love; a 4****th**** of July spirit; Mary Sues/Gary Stus (this one is a given); a spirit for Chinese New Year; M-Preg love-child of Jack and Quinn/Xin (this actually happened); children/relatives of any of the characters; love interests for any of the characters; the Muses.**

**What I **_**AM**_ **looking for: Spirits of any holiday, legend, or natural phenomenon not listed above (ex: Arbor Day, rain, Bermuda Triangle); HUMANS, especially friends for Quinn for when he was alive; VILLIANS, can be big baddies or bumbling minions.**

**I can't fit every OC into the story as I have plenty of mine own as well, so it's first-come first-serve. Once I reach a certain amount of OC's (about 15-20) I'll stop accepting them. I'm also going to be taking top priority to the OC's that fit in the HUMANS and VILLIANS category, but I'll only accept a certain amount of those as well. Also, if I find any of the OC's submitted to be sub-par, I won't take them and let you know so you can have a chance to fix them. **

**One more thing before we move on: You **_**CAN**_**, and are encouraged to, submit more than one OC. **_**BUT THEY MUST BE IN A SEPARATE PMS!**_

**Moving on, this is a shout out to anyone who is currently one of my beta's or editors. **_**IF WE'VE HAD PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BEING MY BETA/EDITOR, PLEASE SEND ME A PM. EVEN IF WE HAVE A CURRENTLY ON-GOING PM SEND ME A NEW ONE SO I KNOW YOU'VE READ THIS. I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP WITH THIS WHOLE PROCESS. ALSO IF ANYONE WANTS TO BE A BETA/EDITOR FOR ANY OF MY STORIES, SEND ME A PM AS WELL AND WE'LL DISCUSS IT.**_

**And even if you're not one of my beta's, I could still use the help of all you faithful readers! How? **_**DO NOT LEAVE ME ALONE.**_** Seriously, pester the heck out of me. Constantly send me PM's asking about my progress. Tell family, friends, or complete strangers to pester me. Give me your ideas for the story. Heck, bother me on my dA account which I check more often. I have the same username there as here. **_**JUST KEEP BOTHERING ME.**_

**There's one more thing I want to ask of you. To prove who my more loyal readers are and see who read this entire message, I want you guys to leave a review with the word "Transcendentality" somewhere in it. Including my beta's. It doesn't have to have anything else in the review and it doesn't matter if you've been following this story, or just found it. **

**One last thing. I have a poll open that has ten story ideas of mine to choose from. So far, 14 people have voted but that's still not enough. If you haven't voted yet please do! If you have voted, let me know in a review! Remember: vote for your top 5 favorite choices.**

**I do believe that's all I have to say for the moment. **

**Until next time.**

**-Ink**


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